SOUNDTRACKS
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Soundtracks are a lot more than movie music...
...or so I'm ready to argue as a 30 year devotee of this sorely under appreciated genre. So, in an effort to do my part, each week
I'll be making recommendations of soundtracks current and vintage, make a fuss over long awaited soundtrack scores finally getting
a well deserved release, and in general, make some noise about this often overlooked category. Beyond my long experience as a
listener and as a pianist and songwriter, both of which I've put to use in writing a quarterly soundtrack column for the Chicago
Tribune, I can only offer my recommendations. You'll discern my taste soon enough and upfront I'd like to make it clear that I'll
focus most heavily on SCORE soundtracks. In the end, all criticism is subjective but if I can point a listener toward a little heard
soundtrack or strongly advise you to either ORDER IMMEDIATELY or SKIP ALTOGETHER, all the better.
...or so I'm ready to argue as a 30 year devotee of this sorely under appreciated genre. So, in an effort to do my part, each week
I'll be making recommendations of soundtracks current and vintage, make a fuss over long awaited soundtrack scores finally getting
a well deserved release, and in general, make some noise about this often overlooked category. Beyond my long experience as a
listener and as a pianist and songwriter, both of which I've put to use in writing a quarterly soundtrack column for the Chicago
Tribune, I can only offer my recommendations. You'll discern my taste soon enough and upfront I'd like to make it clear that I'll
focus most heavily on SCORE soundtracks. In the end, all criticism is subjective but if I can point a listener toward a little heard
soundtrack or strongly advise you to either ORDER IMMEDIATELY or SKIP ALTOGETHER, all the better.
70 years ago Walt Disney made movie history with the release of the first full
length animation feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. While it’s often
believed that the 1937 release of the film also marked the first time an
accompanying soundtrack was issued to the public, that honor goes to Max
Steiner’s symphonic score for 1932’s The Bird of Paradise. The score was released
on a 78 rpm vinyl record. Steiner went on to compose classic scores for King Kong,
Casablanca, Now, Voyager, and what is arguably the most famous movie music of
all time, Gone with the Wind.
For “Tara’s Theme,” Steiner employed a simple “A-A-B-A” melodic form that would
become the basis for the southern epic’s iconic melody. It’s just one of 19 other
memorable movie instrumentals and close to 40 classic movie songs from a 3-
disc Hollywood Hits: 70 Years of Movie Music collection recently released
by Shout! Factory, a label that specializes in retro music compilations. In addition
to “Tara’s Theme,” score selections include everything from David Raksin’s
sensuous “Laura” to Henry Mancini’s “The Pink Panther,” John Barry’s “James
Bond Theme” to a trio of John Williams’ blockbuster melodies – “Jaws,” “Star
Wars,” and “Superman.”
The Shout! Factory collection was conceived as a tie-in with a PBS special, “Movie
Songs Live” (it aired around the country as part of PBS’ annual pledge drive).
Patrick Milligan, a west coast based music consultant, was approached by Shout!
Factory to create a list of songs for a tie-in audio set for the television special two
years ago.
“I really wanted to try and figure out a way to do a disc that would go with songs
and movie themes that people would recognize,” Milligan recalled. “I sort of
looked at this and said, ‘Well let me find enough to give them the idea of what it
could be.’ I thought I would get the list back and be asked to rework it
extensively.” Milligan was delighted when Shout! Factory decided to go with the
majority of selections on his list, resulting in the full 3-disc package (which
includes a lavishly illustrated booklet). The first disc focuses on the familiar
instrumental themes, the second on memorable movie songs (“Over the
Rainbow” to “Let the River Run”), and the third musical songs at the movies
(“Easter Parade” to “Tomorrow”). The combination is dazzling and the breadth of
the collection speaks to the overall cultural influence of movie music – both
instrumentals and songs.
Robert Osborne, the well known Turner Classic Movies host and film historian,
hosted the TV special and commented about the tie-in boxed set: “Music is so
important to movies but all those great guys – Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Max
Steiner and Bernard Herrmann were never given their due and now with boxed
sets like this we really hear that music and we’re aware of how important it is.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Don't forget to check out previous soundtrack recommendations by visiting the
ARCHIVES
Next Recommendation: TBA
length animation feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. While it’s often
believed that the 1937 release of the film also marked the first time an
accompanying soundtrack was issued to the public, that honor goes to Max
Steiner’s symphonic score for 1932’s The Bird of Paradise. The score was released
on a 78 rpm vinyl record. Steiner went on to compose classic scores for King Kong,
Casablanca, Now, Voyager, and what is arguably the most famous movie music of
all time, Gone with the Wind.
For “Tara’s Theme,” Steiner employed a simple “A-A-B-A” melodic form that would
become the basis for the southern epic’s iconic melody. It’s just one of 19 other
memorable movie instrumentals and close to 40 classic movie songs from a 3-
disc Hollywood Hits: 70 Years of Movie Music collection recently released
by Shout! Factory, a label that specializes in retro music compilations. In addition
to “Tara’s Theme,” score selections include everything from David Raksin’s
sensuous “Laura” to Henry Mancini’s “The Pink Panther,” John Barry’s “James
Bond Theme” to a trio of John Williams’ blockbuster melodies – “Jaws,” “Star
Wars,” and “Superman.”
The Shout! Factory collection was conceived as a tie-in with a PBS special, “Movie
Songs Live” (it aired around the country as part of PBS’ annual pledge drive).
Patrick Milligan, a west coast based music consultant, was approached by Shout!
Factory to create a list of songs for a tie-in audio set for the television special two
years ago.
“I really wanted to try and figure out a way to do a disc that would go with songs
and movie themes that people would recognize,” Milligan recalled. “I sort of
looked at this and said, ‘Well let me find enough to give them the idea of what it
could be.’ I thought I would get the list back and be asked to rework it
extensively.” Milligan was delighted when Shout! Factory decided to go with the
majority of selections on his list, resulting in the full 3-disc package (which
includes a lavishly illustrated booklet). The first disc focuses on the familiar
instrumental themes, the second on memorable movie songs (“Over the
Rainbow” to “Let the River Run”), and the third musical songs at the movies
(“Easter Parade” to “Tomorrow”). The combination is dazzling and the breadth of
the collection speaks to the overall cultural influence of movie music – both
instrumentals and songs.
Robert Osborne, the well known Turner Classic Movies host and film historian,
hosted the TV special and commented about the tie-in boxed set: “Music is so
important to movies but all those great guys – Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Max
Steiner and Bernard Herrmann were never given their due and now with boxed
sets like this we really hear that music and we’re aware of how important it is.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Don't forget to check out previous soundtrack recommendations by visiting the
ARCHIVES
Next Recommendation: TBA
| The box cover of Shout Factory's superlative 3-disc collection and Robert Osborne who hosted the television special tie-in. |
